Many people do not know the centipede life cycle stages. One of many reasons is that it is often included in the group of pest that people want to get rid of; only few people who feel interested to make this animal as their pet. It could because of the danger people could imagine only by hearing the name of this name. However, learning about the life stages of this animal is not a wasting time, as it would enrich your knowledge about living things.

General information about centipedes

Centipede included in the dangerous animal since they have venom they could use to protect themselves located on their feet. When this venom makes a contact directly to human skin, it could cause the skin to rot off. Centipede could run fast, but it is not enough to be the weapon for surviving the wild live. That is why centipede often enter human house since it is saver. With the characteristic of many feet it has, it is common for many people to scream in frightened feel right after they notice the presence of centipede.

The rumor of centipede having 100 legs is only myth. In fact, centipede only has 30 legs more or less. Even though centipede looks like an insect, it actually included in the arthropod class. It is because centipede has many segments on their body and each segment connected to a pair of legs.

Centipede Life Cycle

1. First life cycle of centipede: hatch from the egg

After centipede hatch from the eggs, its development runs slowly. The young centipede already had the quite similar form of the adult. That is why it is included in the incomplete metamorphosis.

When centipede is not mature enough, they addressed as nymph. Centipede is an animal that develop the molting process. It is a term to address the natural development of centipede when they shed their skin for multiple times. In common, centipede will grow new pairs of leg every time they had the molting process. This stage is what scientist called as the instar stage. After experiencing the first molting process, common centipede would grow 10 legs. After the third process, centipede would has 18 legs on average. In some species, they have seven or more molts occur before they become a mature centipede.

3. Third life cycle of centipede: adult

An adult centipede likes to spend his time in a dark, secluded and moist area. It is very effective to keep his body warm during the cold season. Nearly all centipedes have reddish brown color; some of them often have brownish as well as yellowish color. Adult centipede has various lengths. It could range from 1 up to 12 inches. On the head, adult centipede has a pair of antennae. Centipede has much longer lifespan compared to any other animals in the same arthropod class. An adult centipede could live up to 6 years. On this age, they usually grow 30 legs. When they develop this many legs, it could be the sign that centipede has reach the last centipede life cycle stages.